This invention relates in general to the field of vacuum systems and deposition technology for plating and coating materials and more particularly to a configurable vacuum system and method.
Deposition technologies for coating and plating materials and developing engineered surfaces may include any of a variety of deposition technologies. These deposition technologies may include, for example, vacuum deposition, physical vapor deposition (xe2x80x9cPVDxe2x80x9d), chemical vapor deposition (xe2x80x9cCVDxe2x80x9d), sputtering, and ion plating.
Generally, all of these deposition technologies require a vacuum system with a platform for proper support and positioning of the substrate within a vacuum chamber to ensure that a desired plating is achieved. The platform may also be referred to as a table, turntable, base plate, and the like. The proper support, presentation, and positioning of the substrate on or by the platform during plating is critical to achieve a desired, repeatable, and successful plating. Often, the platform must provide rotational raotion to the substrate during plating to achieve a more uniform or desired coating or plating.
Unfortunately, substrates come in all shapes and sizes and often, a platform that is used in a vacuum chamber to support or rotate a substrate during plating works well with one particular shape or type of substrate, but poorly for another. Further, many vacuum chambers only support one type of platform or table, and few, if any platforms contemplate substrates of significantly different shapes and sizes. This significantly limits the effective use of expensive deposition and plating systems, including expensive vacuum chambers and platforms.
From the foregoing it may be appreciated that a need has arisen for a configurable vacuum system and method for use in coating or plating that provides the capability to handle substrates of significantly different shapes and sizes. In accordance with the present invention, a configurable vacuum system and method are provided that substantially eliminate one or more of the disadvantages and problems outlined above.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a configurable vacuum system is provided that includes a vacuum table assembly and a vacuum chamber. The vacuum table assembly may include a support frame, an insulated surface, a mechanical drive mounted to the support frame, an electrical feed through mounted to the support frame, a filament positioned above the insulated surface between a first filament conductor and a second filament conductor, a filament power connector electrically coupled to the first filament conductor through a first filament power contact pad of the filament power connector and to the second filament conductor through a second filament power contact pad of the filament power connector, and a platform operable to support the substrate. The vacuum chamber may include a vacuum chamber having a main opening at a door, a wall that defines an interior volume, a filament power connector, an electrical feed through connector, a mechanical drive connector, a railing operable to receive and support the vacuum table assembly within the internal volume of the vacuum chamber. The various connectors of the vacuum table assembly and vacuum chamber may automatically couple with one another.
The present invention provides a profusion of technical advantages that include the capability to use a vacuum system for plating, such as plasma plating, substrates of significantly different shapes, sizes, and dimensions. This greatly increases the value of such a vacuum system by providing the versatility to use the same system to coat many different types of substrates.
Another technical advantage of the present invention includes the capability to provide substrate rotation in different planes, such as rotation on a horizontal plane and on a vertical plane. This increases the versatility and usefulness of the vacuum system and vacuum table assembly.
Another technical advantage of the present invention includes the capability to efficiently plate or xe2x80x9cshootxe2x80x9d first array of parts using the vacuum system of the present invention, and then to quickly and expeditiously transition to plate or xe2x80x9cshootxe2x80x9d a second array of parts, whether the parts are similar or different, or require different platforms for plating.
Other technical advantages are readily apparent to one skilled in the art from the following figures, description, and claims.